58534 Logos, or as a binary system (58534) Logos-Zoe, is a

trans-Neptunian object A trans-Neptunian object (TNO), also written transneptunian object, is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune, which has an orbital semi-major axis of 30.1 astronomical units (AU). ...

and

binary system A binary system is a system of two astronomical bodies of the same kind that are comparable in size. Definitions vary, but typically require the center of mass to be located outside of either object. (See animated examples.) The most common ki ...

from the classical

Kuiper belt The Kuiper belt ( ) is a circumstellar disc in the outer Solar System, extending from the orbit of Neptune at 30 astronomical units (AU) to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, but is far larger—20 times ...

, approximately in diameter. The bright

cubewano A classical Kuiper belt object, also called a cubewano ( "QB1-o"), is a low-eccentricity Kuiper belt object (KBO) that orbits beyond Neptune and is not controlled by an orbital resonance with Neptune. Cubewanos have orbits with semi-major axe ...

belongs to the cold population and has a 66-kilometer (41 miles) sized companion named Zoe. The system mass is . In the

Gnostic Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: , romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among early Christian sects. These diverse g ...

tradition,

Logos ''Logos'' (, ; ) is a term used in Western philosophy, psychology and rhetoric, as well as religion (notably Logos (Christianity), Christianity); among its connotations is that of a rationality, rational form of discourse that relies on inducti ...

and Zoe are a paired emanation of the deity, and part of its creation myth.

Zoe

Logos is a

binary Binary may refer to: Science and technology Mathematics * Binary number, a representation of numbers using only two values (0 and 1) for each digit * Binary function, a function that takes two arguments * Binary operation, a mathematical op ...

with the components of comparable size orbiting the

barycentre In astronomy, the barycenter (or barycentre; ) is the center of mass of two or more bodies that orbit one another and is the point about which the bodies orbit. A barycenter is a dynamical point, not a physical object. It is an important con ...

on a moderately elliptical orbit. Logos was discovered on 4 February 1997, and its companion, Zoe, was discovered on 17 November 2001 from

Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope (HST or Hubble) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was not the Orbiting Solar Observatory, first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most ...

observations by K. S. Noll, D. C. Stephens, W. M. Grundy, J. Spencer, Robert Millis,

Marc Buie Marc William Buie (; born September 17, 1958) is an American astronomer and prolific discoverer of minor planets who works at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado in the Space Science Department. Formerly he worked at the Lowel ...

Dale Cruikshank Dale P. Cruikshank is an astronomer and planetary scientist in the Astrophysics Branch at NASA Ames Research Center. His research specialties are spectroscopy and radiometry of planets and small bodies in the Solar System. These small bodies includ ...

, S. C. Tegler, and W. Romanishin and announced on 11 February 2002. After the discovery, it received the

provisional designation Provisional designation in astronomy is the naming convention applied to astronomical objects immediately following their discovery. The provisional designation is usually superseded by a permanent designation once a reliable orbit has been calcu ...

. Once confirmed it was officially designated (58534) Logos I and named Zoe. It orbits Logos with a semi-major axis of 8217 km in 309.9 days with an

eccentricity Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to: * Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal" Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics * Off-Centre (geometry), center, in geometry * Eccentricity (g ...

of 0.546. Its estimated diameter is 66 km, and mass (0.15 ± 0.02) kg.

Orbit

A 10-million-year integration of the orbit shows that it is a

Classical Kuiper belt object A classical Kuiper belt object, also called a cubewano ( "QB1-o"), is a low-eccentricity Kuiper belt object (KBO) that orbits beyond Neptune and is not controlled by an orbital resonance with Neptune. Cubewanos have orbits with semi-major axe ...

that does not get closer to the Sun than or further than 52.1 AU. Pluto Logos Neptune

References

External links

IAUC 7824
�

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Logos 058534 058534 Named minor planets Binary trans-Neptunian objects 19970204